Torch apparatus and carton-sealing machine



arch 25, 1930. J. L. ANDERSON 1,752,139

TORCH APPARATUS AND CARTON SEALING MACHINE Filed Dec. 7, 1927 4Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNF March '25, 1930.

J. L. ANDERSON TORCH APPARATUS AND CARTON SEALING MACHINE Filed Dec. 7,1927 4 Sheets$heet 2 llVl/EIVTOR A TTOR/VEY March 25, 1930. J. ANDERSONTORCH APPARATUS AND CARTON SEALING MACHINE Filed Dec. '7, 1927 4Sheets-Sheet 5 IN Ell/TOR ,4 TTOR/VEY March 25,- 1930. J. 1.. ANDERSONTORCH APPARATUS AND CARTON SEALING MACHINE.

Filed Dec. '7, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I ww D\ wfl w m+ 5 GT M T Om m mm9? x 7 mm m H Pm 1 u H Y o o o o o o o N\ 1 o o 0 o o m om mm +m anATTORN EY Patented Mar. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES-L.mnnason, or murmur, NEW Jnnsnfi ASSIGNOR TO AIR nnnuc'rron comrm,mconromrnn; vor NEW YORK,1\T,-Y., A coarormrron or NEWYOBK 'IORCHAPPARATUS ANI J GARTON-SEALING MACHINE J Application fled December 7,1927. Serial No. 238,452.

The invention relates to torch or blowpipe apparatus, and to animprovement in machines for applying sealing strips to cartons whereinheat is required to soften and render adhesive the bitumastic or 'likecompound with which the sealing strips are impregnated.

In such a machine, the cartons are fed intermittently and the tapes areapplied thereto by a turning or oscillating drum, and each tape requiresto be heated while on the drum as the tape approaches the carton and asit is progressively applied. The speed at which the machine operatesallows only a very brief. period, possibly a fraction of a second, in

which to heat the tape, and the drum and the instrumentalities carriedthereby are subject to injury or derangement if they become overheated.Furthermore, the compound carried by the tape, or with which it isimpregnated, cools and solidifies rapidly. The space in the machinewithin which heating arrangements can be placed to direct heat againstthe tape on the periphery of the drum 2 5 is also likely to berestricted.

In the machine herein described there is a burner apparatus capable ofintermittent and rapid heatin the heating flame being extinguished w enor after the length of each tape has been heated and being restored intime "to act upon the next strip, the drum or other part of the machinenot being exposed to heat in the intervals.

A further object is to control the turning on and oil of the heatingflame by the cartons in such manner that'thefuel gas is turned on aheadof the oxygen.

A further object is to so construct the-tip part of an oxygas,oxyacetylene or like torch 40 constituting the burner, that the heat iscaused to act at one time over a considerable length of each sealingstrip, the construction of the burner and the relation between the Ysame and the tape carrier also being such. thatheat ,is'supplied to thesurface .of the mounting carton, so that the surface to which the tapeis to be applied becomes preheated. In particular, the tip or block fromwhich the flame issues is formed with a plurality of sets, or transverserows, of jet 'orifices, so disposed that the heat from one set isdirected or deflected against the tape and in a rearward direction alongthe same, while the heat from-- another set is directed more in thedirection of travel of the tape, and in the confined and narrowing spacebetween the tape" carrier and the carton imparts a useful degree of heatto the latter. The arrangement of the flame jet orifices may-be varied,and the number of vsets or rows of orifices may be increased todistribute and extend the region of direct heating of the sealing strip,and/or to preheat the strip and/or the carton by convection. f

A further object is to provide a very compact burner and burner controlapparatus I suitable for thepurpose intended, andone which does notrequire a large flame.

Whilethe invention has been more particularly designed for, and ishereinafter'm claimed in connection with, a machine for I applyingseal-ingstrips to cartons, it 'embodiesaspects which areapplicable toother machines in which intermittent andrapid heating would bedesirable. a

In the accompanying drawings forming part hereof:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a carton-sealing machine in which theinvention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation on a '80 larger scale showing theparts more particularlydoncerned in the invention;

Fig. ,3 is a plan view corresponding to Fig. 2, a portion of the drumbeing broken away to better illustrate the burner; and

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the burner, its and parts for controllingthe burner.

. The carton sealing machine illustrated in these drawings has a frame2, at one endof supply of tape is held in a reel or holder 7,

from which it passes over the top of the drum. A device 8 comprising apair of slotted plates supported by astationary arm 9 retains theforward end of the tape supply in a position to be engaged by a pin 10carried by the drum. This pin is mounted on a suitable reciprocatorypart 11 guided in the drum and controlled by a stationary cam 12, tocause the pin to be projected beyond the periphery of the drum and to beretracted at the proper times. 13 is a knife or cut-off device alsocarried by the drum and controlled by a stationary cam 14, the knifebeing carried by a reciprocatory rod 15 supported and guided on one sideof the drum.

The drum is oscillated, and the arrangement is such that at or about theend of each return movement the pin 10 is projected to engage the end ofthe tape held by the slotted plates 8, whereupon the drum turns in theforward direction dragging the tape around with it and laying it on itscircumference.

. The knife 13 clears the device 8 and is then drawn inward or downwardbelow or flush with the periphery of the drum, so as to sever the properlength of tape from the supply. A small finger 15 on the knife holds therear end of the tape against the drum while the severed length of tapeis being carried forward and applied to the carton.

On the return stroke of the bed 4, the carton to which the sealing striphas just been applied is detained against being dragged back, by adetent 16. -The advance of the next carton ejects the sealed carton fromthe movement of the tape as it is carried around machine.

The parts are driven from a suitable source of power through anadjustable crank wheel 17 and a rack pitman 18. The rack teeth mesh witha gear wheel 19 on a shaft 20, and other toothed wheels 21 on this shaftmesh with racks 22 on the reciprocating bed 4. A sprocket wheel 23 isalso secured to the shaft 20, a sprocket chain 24 passing about thiswheel and a wheel 25 fixed to the drum 6.

The carton supporting means and the sealing strip supportmg means areplaced close enough together at the region of tangency so that thecompression of the cartons between them gives the proper pressure forpressing the sealing strips against the cartons.

It will be evident that the form of the parts of the machine, theirmovements and the mechanism for operating them may he -widely varied. Ido not claim the machine thus far described as my invention, and it hasbeen shown as one illustrative embodiment of an organization ofinstrumentalities for the purpose of applying sealing strips to cartonsto which my invention is applicable, and for which it has been moreparticularly designed.

My improvement in such a machine relates to the means for heating thetape, and preferably, also, preheating the cartons.

On a bar or frame part 26 at the front and near the lower part of themagazine 3 there is bolted a brackety 27, and to this bracket there isfixed the body of a torch 28 of the oxyacetylene or oxygas type. Thistorch has conduit pipes 29 and 30 for oxygen and the combustible gas,respectively, these pipes being connected with suitable sources ofsupply of the two gases by hose 31 and 32. The gases are broughttogether and mixed by known provisions inside the torch. In the form oftorch illustrated they are brought together in the rear part of theshank 33 of a detachable tip, which carries a tip block 34 containing achamber 35 for the mixed gases.

Two spaced rows 86 and 87 of small jet orifices are drilled in the blockto intersect the chamber 35. The rows of orifices or exits extendtransversely with reference to the periphery of the drum, and the torchis so supported by its bracket that the orifices are adjacent thisperiphery at what may be termed the lower front quarter positionthereof. Terms of orientation are, of course, relative, as it is notabsolutely essential that the cartons lie horizontal. The region iswhere the periphery .of the drum curves inward toward the point oftangency between the cartons and the drum or tape carrier.

The jets 36 of the upper row are inclined upward so that their jets aredirected radially toward the drum, or they may be inclined somewhatrearward of the radius drawn from the center of the drum. The'termsforward and rearward refer to the direction of and applied to thecarton.

The .jets 37 of the lower row are show directed substantiallyhorizontally or somewhat downward, at a forward inclination to a radialline The precise spacing, posi-' tions and inclination of the jets,andthe number of rows or groups can naturally be varied. It is advantageousto space the jets, or to cause them to diverge, so as to extend the zoneof direct heating over'a certain part of the length of the sealing stripat the same instant,also, and very importantly to cause the conveyedheat to be deflected and flow rearwardly over the tape on the peripheryof the drum, preheating the same as it approaches the region of directintense heating, and to cause another portion of the heat to be directedor to'flow and be carried forwardly over the tape, and downwardly topreheat the surface of the carton itself just as it is about to receivethe tape.

The face of the block 34 is preferably re-,

cessed between the rows .of jet orifices, .to form a channel into whichthe end of a pilot 'flame tube 38 is directed. This tube isbranched fromthe fuel gas pipe and is provided with a regulating valve 39.

The two conduits 30 and 31 are provided with opening and closing valves40 and 41,

1 carrying at its forward end a feeler shoe 44,

which is so positioned that the cartons as they approach the tapecarrier must pass beneath it, thereby raising the yieldingly mountedfeeler.

The arm 42 has portions or lugs 45 in which are threaded adjustablecontact screws 46, 47

having lock nuts 48. These screws are in line with the lower ends of thestems 49, 50 of the valves 40 and 41, so that when the arm is raised,the screws contact with the valve stems and open the Valves. When acarton passes out from beneath the feeler the feeler and arm drop,permitting the valves to close again.

When the valves are opened the jets issuing from the jet orifices areautomatically ignited by the pilot. In order to prevent backfiring orineflicient functioning of the flame in the brief period allowed for itswork, it is important to turn on thefuel gas a little ahead of theoxygen. In the illustrative embodiment this is provided for in themembers 46, 47

which are set relatively to each other so that the fuel gas valve isopened, or starts to open,

' an instant before the oxygen valve is opened.

A screw abutment51 cooperative with a shoulder 52 on the arm 42 keepsthe feeler from dropping. too far down in cases where the carton carrierdoes not present a continuous surface for the feeler to rest on.

Itwill thus be seen that the working flame is turned on as the leadingflaps of the carton approach the point where the tape is laid or pressedon the body of the carton. The machine is so set or adjusted that theforward end of the length of tape arrives at the bottom point of thecircuit of the drum just when the forward end of the open joint in thebody oflthe carton reaches this point. The for.-'

ward part of the tape has already been heated by radiation andconvection, and the surface of the forward part of the carton has alsobeen preheated by convection and to some extent by radiation. Before theapplication of the tape commences, and thereafter while the tape isbeing progressively applied, the 7 portions thereof approaching thepoint of ap plication are. progressively heated, and the surface of thecarton is likewise progressively heated. An effective preheating of thecarton is of great importance, as otherwise the tape will not adhereproperly.

When the rear end of the carton. passes-out of contact with the feeler,the working flame is automatically extinguished, to be automaticallyrestored slightly before the leading end ,of the next tape lengthreaches the region of direct heating.

-The heat of the flame jets is very intense, and performs its work veryrapidly in time with the quick intermittent operation of the ranged astoheat the tape on the tape carrier.

and also to supply heat to the surface of the carton.

2. In a machine for applying sealing tapes to cartons, comprising a tapecarrier, and means for supporting the cartons in operative relation tothe tape carrier and for turning the tape carrier and producing relativetranslational movement between the tape carrier and the cartons, anoxygas blowpipe and a support therefor, said blowpipe having a tipsupported adjacent the lower front quarter position of the tape carrier,and formed with two transverse rows of jet orifices in divergentrelationto each other.

3.. In a machine in which pieces of work are fed intermittently to havean o eration requiring heat perfor edthereon, t e combination of ablowpipe-designed to operate with a mixture of a fuel gas and a gaseoussupporter of combustion, means for automatically igniting the workinflame delivered by the blowpipe, conduits or the two gases,

valve means in said conduits for turning "on- .and off the gases whichsupply said flame,

4. The combination of a blowpipe. burner,

separate conduits for supplying the same with fuel gas and a gaseoussupporter of combus tion, a pilot, separate valves in said conduits, a

feeler adapted to contact with pieces of Work, an arm connected withsaid feeler, and means between said arm and said valves to cause onevalve to open ahead of the other.

' 5. In a machine for applying sealing tapes.

to cartons, comprising a tape carrier, and means for supportlng thecartons 1n operatlve relatlon translational movement between the tapecarrier and the cartons, oxygas blowpipe means so supported and arrangedas to heat the tape on the tape carrier and also definitely to preheatthe surface of'the carton.

JAMES L. ANDERSON.

to the tape carrier and for turn-x ing the tape carrier and producingrelative

